Medallion and fastener



1382.10, 1940. WIX N 2,224,756

MEDALLION AND FASTENER Filed Feb. 27, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 10, 1940.- H. H. WlXON 2.22 3

MEDALLION AND FASTENER Filed Feb. 27, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 10, 1940 UNITED STATES MEDALLION AND FASTENER Howard H. Wixon, Chicago, Ill., assignor to H. A. Monti, Chicago, Ill.

Application February 27, 1939, Serial No. 258,616

Claims.

This invention relates to medallions, particularly to those which are frequently found on monuments and headstones in cemeteries. It is a custom today among some peoples to preserve 5 the memory of their dead by placing likenesses of the decedent on the headstone at the decedents grave, or on the monument that marks the familys lot. In many cases the likeness of the decedent is fired or burnt on porcelain tile and the porcelain tile picture is mounted in a bronze frame and secured to the memorial stone.

The purpose of this invention is to prevent the removal and stealing of medallions, particularly from stone memorial markers in cemeteries. Numerous methods of securing medallions to mounting stones are known. However, this invention provides a novel and advantageous combination of various features which mutually contribute to accomplish the purpose of the in vention, namely, to secure the medallion to the mounting surface permanently so that it cannot be removed without being totally destroyed.

In a specific embodiment this invention comprises a porcelain tile picture mounted in a bronze frame or mounted upon a bronze face plate, which is securely fastened to a plate assembly which, in turn, is securely and permanently fastened to a monument by a special type of fastener employing one of the well known expansion means to prevent removal of the entire medallion from the monument.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a specific embodiment of the invention and show one method for securely fastening the medallion of this invention to a stone marker. In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure l is a view in elevation of the back of the medallion with a portion of the back plate broken away to reveal the construction of the medallion;

Figure 2 is a sectional View in elevation taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing the medallion in place on a monument or block of stone;

Figure 3 is a partial view of the back of the medallion showing the fastening means inserted into the openings of the rear and intermediate plates'of the medallion preparatory to lowering the medallion into its locked position;

Figure 4 is another partial view of the back of the medallion showing the fastening means at its uppermost position preparatory to sliding the medallion down sufliciently far so as to permit the parts of the locking means to engage.

Figure 5 is a view in elevation of the back of a second medallion with a portion of the back plate broken away so as to reveal a different 5 construction of the unit assembly,

Figure 6 is a sectional view of thesecon medallion taken along the line 6-6 in Figure 5. Figure 7 is an enlarged and detailed View of the center portions of the intermediate and 10 front plate of the unit assembly.

' Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings which illustrate different views and features of my invention, l designates the rear plate of the medallion with irregular portion cut 15 out as shown by solid line 2 to permit the insertion of the fastening means 3 which is shown in locked position in both'Figures 1 and 2. In

Figure 1 part of the fastener 3 is visible because of the broken away portion of the rear plate and its position is shown by the dotted line 4. Dotted line 5 indicates the uppermost position fastener 3 may be moved to preparatory to sliding it back so that tongue 6 springs through opening 1 to lock the fastener and medallion. I 25 A small rectangular plate 8 is secured to fastener 3 by means 9 for securing the fastener to a drilled hole in a stone monument of block l0.

Plate ,8 is preferably made of the same material and thickness as plate I.

of'the medallion, edge indicated by H, and the intermediate plate I2 and front plate [3 are preferably made of the same metal and thickness as rear plate I and rectangular plate 8. Face plate H has a number of lips l4 located 5 around its edge in spaced relation which are bent over as shown and fasten the face plate to the assembly of three plates I, I2 and I3, which are securely fastened together by rivets I5-in as many places as necessary.

Means 9 which represents any well known form of expansion bolt is shown partly in vertical section along a center plane and is shown in place'in the hole l6 previously drilled in the stone marker. The expansion bolt 9 does not 45 reach the end of the hole drilled in the stone and the unfilled depth of the boring is indicated by II. The other end of 9 is not shown in section and reveals the corrugated markings on its outside surface for frictionally gripping the Walls of the 50 hole in the stone. This end of the bolt is soldered to plate 8 and both in turn to fastener 3. The other end of the bolt is quartered as indicated in Figure I and when babbitt, or some other soft metal, is driven down through the center I 8 of 55 Likewise the face plate 30,

of countersunk expansion means.

the bolt the quarters of the bolt expand and grip the wall of the boring in the stone.

The feature of this invention lies in the fact that, when the fastener has been secured in place in a hole bored in the stone marker, and when the medallion has been placed over the fastener and moved into position so that the locking pieces engage, then the medallion is permanently secured to the stone and could not be removed without destroying both the medallion and fastener. This can be probably better understood by studying Figures 3 and 4. Both Figures 3 and 4 only show the central portion of the back of the medallion which contains the locking means.

In Figure 3 the fastening means 3 is shown set into the opening 4 provided by intermediate plate [2 after being passed through opening 2 in rear plate I. The fastener 3 is clearly shown in this view in its lowermost position in the medallion. The cut away portion shows the size and shape of the opening 4' in intermediate plate 12.

I'nFigure 4 fastening means 3 is shown moved to its uppermost position in opening 4 in the intermediate plate l2 just preparatory to sliding it back enough so that opening Twill slide under tongue. 6 and thereby secure the medallion to the fastener. This view illustrates the necessity of moving the fastening plate 3 high enough: in

opening 4 so as to allow tongue fitospring into.

plate I and then springs back into its normal position through hole 1.

It is the fastening plate 3 when locked in position in the assembly of plates I, Hand 13, which in turn are fastened to the face plate of the medallion, that prevents the removal of the medallion. The fastener 3 may be secured to the stone marker or monument in the manner shown, or by any of the other well known types Thus the feature of the invention as disclosed is the selflocking, fully concealed means for fastening the medallion.

The several features of this invention are shown also, but in a slightly modified form, in

Figure 5, which is a view in elevation of the back of the medallion with portions of the back plate broken away to show the construction of the several plates in the assembly; in Figure 6, which is a sectional view in elevation taken along the line 66 of Figure 5 and shows the medallion held in place on the monument by a different form of countersunk expansion bolt; and in Figure '7, which is an enlarged view of the central portion of the intermediate and front plates showing the fastener in locked" position but with the rear plate removed. In Figures 5, 6' and 7 the same numerals are used to designate the identical. corresponding elements shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and. 4. Elements that are different in the two modifications are assigned a higher series of numbers.

In Figure 5' a portion of rear plate I is broken away, at line IE to show the construction of the medallion, particularly intermediate plate 12, at the several points where lips 14 of the bronze frame 20. foldover the plate assembly so as to hold the. porcelain tile secure.

Figure 6 shows the'construction of. the medallion of this invention where the porcelain tile picture is mounted in a bronze frame 20 and in contact with front plate l3. The fastening means 3 is an expansion bolt instead of the previously described type in Figure 2 where a soft metal member is driven into hole l8 causing the quartered parts of 9 to spread and grip the walls of hole I6.

In this modification of the invention fastener 3 has no hole I cut out to accommodate tongue 6 but has instead a series of notches 2| cut into one side, as shown in the enlarged sectional View, Figure '7. The teeth thus formed are rounded slightly in order to allow them to slide past teeth formedby cutting notches 22 in the adjacent edge of intermediate plate [2. At intervals along the same edge of intermediate plate l2 a series of slots 23 are cut at a slight angle from the horizontal, which slots 23 and notches 22 form a series of teeth. When the medallion is being thus lowered into locked relation with fastener 3 the fingers 24 of intermediate plate will move upward slightly to allow the rounded teeth to slip by until fastener 3 reaches the uppermost position in the opening 2 out in the intermediate plate l2 to accommodate fastener 3. Then any attempt to slide the medallion up, in an effort to remove it from the fastener, will cause the teeth of fastener 3 to engage the notches 22 and slots 23' of the intermediate plate 12, and the slightest looseness in the fit will be taken up immediately by the fingers 24 bending down slightly and pressing fastener plate 3 simultaneously so that the aforesaid teeth and notches become locked together and immovable.

The number of teeth provided along the edge of the fastener 3, the number of slots cut in the adjacent edge of the intermediate plate [2 and the consequent number of fingers 24 are all optional and the invention is not to be limited to the number and particular styles shown in Figure '7. The fingers need only bend a very little, like from. a pivotal point, in order that notches 22 moving in an arc would firmly engage the teeth 2| and lock the device.

It is to be understood that other. variations of the device of thisinvention, besides the forms and constructions shown,,may be made without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention. The inventor has developed a completely self-contained locking means for medallions wherein the fastening means, first secured to a stone marker, is then inserted into' the medallion, and by reason of the interior construction of the medallion the fastening means and the medallion become permanently engaged.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A medallion having a face plate which is secured to an unit assembly comprising a back plate, intermediate plate and front plate, said back plate having an opening to permit admission of fastening means, said intermediate plate also having a portion larger than the opening in said back plate cut out to receive said fastening means, and fastening means comprising an expansion bolt and a thin plate joined thereto.

2. A medallion having, a face plate which is secured to an unit assembly comprising a back plate, intermediate plate and front plate riveted together, said back plate having an opening to permit admission of fastening means, said intermediate plate also having an opening to receive said fastening means, said second opening being larger than said first opening, and fastening means comprising an expansion boltand a thin plate secured to one endof said bolt and of suitable shape and size to be passed through said first opening.

3. A medallion comprising a porcelain front plate joined to a unit assembly consisting of three plates fastened together, the rear plate of said unit assembly having an opening to receive a fastening means, the middle plate having an opening similar to the opening in said rear plate only larger in size to permit movement of said fastening means after it has been inserted therein, and the front plate without any opening similar to those in said rear and middle plates, and said fastening means comprising an expansion bolt and a thin plate secured to one end of said bolt and of suitable shape and size to pass through said opening in said rear plate and to slidably fit said opening in said middle plate.

4. A medallion comprising a ceramic front plate joined to a unit assembly consisting of three plates fastened together, the rear plate of said unit assembly having an opening to receive a fastening means and directly above said opening a cut portion which is bent forward in a manner to form a tongue, the middle plate having an opening similar to the opening in said rear plate only larger in size to permit movement of said fastening means after it has been inserted therein, and the front plate without any opening similar to those in said rear and middle plates, and said fastening means comprising an expansion bolt and a thin plate secured to the end of said bolt and similar in shape tothe openings in said rear and middle plates and having a suitable portion out out so as to allow said tonguelike piece to spring through when the cut-out portion of said plate is moved into alignment with said'tongue-like piece.

5. A medallion comprising a porcelain front plate joined to a unit assembly consisting of three plates fastened together, the rear plate of said unit assembly having an opening to receive a fastening means, the middle plate having an opening similar to the opening in said rear plate only larger in size to permit movement of said fastening means after it has been inserted therein and also having a plurality of slots out into said plate from one edge of said opening and notches cut in said edge between said slots, and

the front plate without any opening similar to those in said rear and middle plates, and said fastening means comprising an expansion bolt and a thin plate secured to the end of said bolt and. similar in shape to the opening in said rear plate and having notches cut in one edge so as to form teeth, which teeth engage the notches and slots cut in said middle plate when moved into contact therewith.

HOWARD H. WIXON. 

